Sensitive
data stolen in raid on NewsDay offices

The daily newspaper, NewsDay, has reported that its offices were
broken into Monday evening. A laptop belonging to its editor and several
hard drives from computers used by journalists were stolen.

The
incident comes six days after army chiefs at the Defence House headquarters
in Harare summoned the paper’s senior reporter, Verenanda Langa, to be
questioned over a story that General Constantine Chiwenga had been taken ill
and airlifted to China for treatment. The army wanted to know her source for
the story.

On Monday evening ‘unknown criminals,’ as the paper put it,
broke into the offices and stole ‘vital information and data’ contained in
the hard drives, including a laptop belonging to the editor Brian Mangwende.
Coincidentally the ‘thieves’ also targeted a computer belonging to Langa,
the victim of the army inquiry last week.

On Wednesday the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe issued a
statement condemning the raid. The group said it was “an attack on the
freedom of the press in Zimbabwe” and was “calculated at instilling fear
among media personnel in the country.” A total of eleven computers were
targeted in the raid and NewsDay believes the idea was to paralyze the
production of the paper.

Last year in February ‘unknown people’ broke
into the offices of Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu and
took away confidential information which the Minister claimed was being used
in the media against him. The raid was linked to ZANU PF factional fighting
over control of diamonds, with one faction said to control the army and the
other controlling the spy agency.

In 2007 one of the faction leaders,
Emmerson Mnangagwa, had a laptop, documents and a mobile phone stolen from
his office while still Rural Housing and Social Amenities Minister.The
tactic is thought to be widely used by members of the military intelligence.

Threat To
Press Freedom As Newsday Offices Are Raided

Harare, April 27, 2011 - Unknown criminals broke into the
offices of Newsday in Harare on Easter Monday and stole the editor’s laptop,
hard drives and other components from computers used by senior editorial
staff.

"Unknown criminals broke into the offices of News-Day in
Harare on Monday night and stole a laptop belonging to the paper's editor,
Brian Mangwende, hard-drives and other components from computers used by
senior editorial staff at the country's fastest growing independent daily.
The stolen drives contained vital information and data," Newsday
said.

Mangwende said the raid was a serious blow on press
freedom coming as it did a few days before World Press Freedom Day
commemorations on 3 May 2011. “We will not be deterred by these criminals
who are not merely targeting the property of Newsday, but freedom of the
media. “

Newsday is owned by media mogul, Trevor Ncube, the owner of
Alpha Media Holdings the publishers of the Independent, Standard and the
South African Mail and Guardian newspapers. Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) chief
executive officer Raphael Khumalo said the break-in and theft was aimed at
creating a negative psychological effect on the papers’ staffers.

He
said he hoped the action will be condemned as the world celebrates press
freedom day next week. "That does not put Zimbabwe in a good light. It is
going to be seen as a fight against the independence of the
media."

He, however, commended the swift response from the police after
they reported the break-in and theft.

In a statement to the media,
the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) - Zimbabwe urged the police to
be thorough in their investigations and bring the culprits to
book.

“It should send a strong message to would-be other criminals of
similar intent that Zimbabwe is more than ready to defend press
freedom.

“This incident should be given the seriousness it deserves and
should not linger unresolved considering the deafening silence on what
became of the investigations into the bombings of The Daily News offices and
printing press in 2000 and 2001 respectively. No one has been arrested for
the Daily News bombings since then,” read part of the MISA-Zimbabwe
statement.

Meanwhile, police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri has
blasted the Daily News newspaper for leading with a headline titled "31
years of hell" on the Independence Day more than a week ago.

The
state controlled Herald newspaper said Chihuri blasted the Daily News while
addressing the police recruits who visited shrines where hundreds of war
fighters and ordinary people were buried in mass graves in places like
Chimoio, Mozambique. The police chief said the daily paper 'insulted' the
nation by writing the story saying the liberation war which ended in 1979
was still fresh in people's minds.

"Somebody writes that, '31 years
of hell’. Have you been in hell and know what it is? The sad memories (of
the liberation struggle) are still fresh in our minds and we should never
forget that gallant sons and daughters of this country lost their lives,"
Chihuri was quoted by the Herald as saying.

Chihuri, a former combatant
has been commanding that police recruits visit the shrines or mass graves
during their training, a move that has been described as meant to show his
loyalty and support to Zanu (PF) and President Robert Mugabe, analysts have
said.

Zimbabwe
too broke to organise elections this year

Zimbabwe does not have the $400 million needed to organise
elections this year, Finance minister Tendai Biti has said.

Mr
Biti said the coalition government also faces a $150 million deficit this
year because it had missed all revenue targets with almost half the year
gone.

The government has set a revenue target of $2.7 billion this
year, but the economy has performed poorly due to the unstable political
environment.

President Robert Mugabe says he wants an early election
because he has failed to work with his rivals in a coalition government
formed in 2009 following his disputed re-election a year
earlier.

“The economy cannot sustain an election,” Mr Biti told
journalists in Harare. “The budget we have has remained static.

The
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has submitted a budget of $400 million. “Where
do I get that kind of money when I am looking for $150 million to fund the
budget deficit if the revenues remain as they are?”

The revelations by
the minister came hard on the heels of an election road map produced by the
three parties in the coalition last week, which effectively rules out
elections this year.

Negotiators from President Mugabe’s Zanu PF and the
two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations crafted the blueprint
with the assistance of facilitators appointed by South African President
Jacob Zuma.

The draft is now awaiting the approval of the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) — the guarantors of Zimbabwe’s power
sharing deal.

Some of the important issues contained in the roadmap are
the constitution making process and electoral reforms, which must be
completed before the polls are held.

Both processes are beyond
schedule with the referendum on the new constitution expected towards the
end of the year. Indications are now that a credible election may only be
possible at the end of next year.

The coalition government has managed to
halt the country’s rapid economic decline, but President Mugabe’s reluctance
to fully implement the power-sharing deal is threatening to reverse all the
gains.

Cut
Mugabe trips: Biti

HARARE - Finanace minister Tendai Biti has warned
that foreign trips - including President Robert Mugabe's to Asia as well as
ministers' travel jaunts - may blow up to US$50 million this year if they
are not curbed.

“The situation is out of hand. It’s alarming. It’s
frightening. It’s criminal that you can spend $12,5 million on travelling
and you can’t put that money either into health or education.

“At
this rate, the $28 million which was spent last year on foreign travels
could be easily surpassed. The travel expenses could reach $50 million by
end of the year,” an exasperated Biti said yesterday.

Since the
beginning of this year, Mugabe’s private and medical excursions to the Far
East have gobbled an estimated $12 million, while millions more have been
spent in other nondescript travels by ministers.

Mugabe is due to chew
millions more US dollars tomorrow when he leaves for Italy to attend the
Food and Agriculture Organisation summit in Rome.

According to
presidential spokesman George Charamba, Mugabe is expected home from yet
another trip to Asia tomorrow morning, and will be back in the air hours
later, heading for Europe.

Questioned about Mugabe’s travel expenditures
at the presentation of the state of the economy yesterday, Biti said the
cost of foreign trips was distressing.

“I don’t know why you are
asking a political question instead of an economic question because I am the
Minister of Finance.

Of course, government trips include the President’s
trips; he is part of the government,” he said.

Biti said what was
more disquieting about these foreign trips was that nothing tangible had
come from them, even though they were gobbling enormous amounts of money
from the treasury.

He also bemoaned the lack of transparency that
characterised many of the travel jaunts.

But Biti’s “we eat what we
gather” policy, which encompasses austerity measures and huge cuts in
spending, is clearly falling on deaf ears.

Since January, Mugabe, dogged
by age and persistent rumours of ill health, including that of his wife
Grace lately, has travelled five times to Singapore on medical
grounds.

Weekend reports claimed that the octogenarian had on each of his
Asian jaunts requested US$3 million for travel expenses.

The
excursions, which often see the president commandeering Air Zimbabwe planes,
include an army of aides and bodyguards.

Recently, striking pilots were
compelled to come back to work and fly him to Singapore.

The money
that Mugabe and his entourage receive from the treasury is mainly for
accommodation, allowances for the travelling party and an emergency
kitty.

Biti said government’s wage bill had become astronomically
high compared to other Sadc countries, and this was worrisome.

“Total
employment costs during the first quarter amounted to US$248,6 million,
accounting for 48% of the total recurrent expenditures.

“Mor appalling is
the fact that, despite this high wage bill, individual salary levels in the
civil service are pathetic.

The civil service audit that was sanctioned
by government in 2009 has revealed rampant existence of ghost workers,” he
said. “However, there has been slow movement in rectifying the anomalies and
the nation continues to suffer as a result.

“Clearly, eliminating
these ghost workers remains the only avenue, not only to stop the
haemorrhaging of the fiscus, but also to competitively reward genuine civil
servants.

“Government should therefore, move with speed on this
issue.”

Biti said the civil servants audit revealed that at least 75 000
jobs were questionable and 13 500 of these were definite ghost workers who
remained on the government payroll.

Public Service Minister Elphas
Mukonoweshuro has handed over the report to cabinet which is yet to make a
decision on the matter, which has attracted widespread
condemnation.

Government could be losing as much as US$11 million every
month to ghost workers at a time when the majority of the civil servants are
earning peanuts.

On average, depending on the grade, civil servants
earn between US$240 and US$520 a month.

Civil servants have warned
that they could strike if government does not improve their salaries, which
are well below the US$520 poverty datum line.

Mugabe has repeatedly
promised them increments based on diamond revenues, which Biti said
yesterday were surrounded by a veil of secrecy.

“As it is, we are going
to have a shortfall of US$150 million by the end of the year. I don’t know
where I am going to get the money, but it has to be found.

“We can
only improve the salaries of the civil servants when we are able to create
jobs, attract foreign investment and have transparency,” he said.

Disclose
health status, Mugabe urged

HARARE - As local and regional concerns around
President Robert Mugabe’s health status continue to grow, the clamour for
the Zanu PF leader to publicly declare once and for all whether he is fit
enough to lead Zimbabwe is reaching a crescendo.

So bad has the
speculation around the president’s health become that some parliamentarians,
from both the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and Zanu PF, are believed
to be working together to investigate the possibility of impeaching him on
account of his advanced age and alleged failing health.

While the
likelihood of that happening any time soon appears remote, the concerned
legislators have been emboldened by the dramatic defeat of Zanu PF’s
candidate in the recent speaker of parliament elections.

It is
generally accepted that some Zanu PF MPs voted with their MDC counterparts
to vote back Lovemore Moyo and to embarrass Zanu PF’s chairman, Simon
Khaya-Moyo in that epoch-making ballot.

At the same time as Zimbabweans
are seized with the issue of the president’s wellbeing and his frequent
visit to the Far East for medical assistance, Sadc leaders have also been
quietly expressing their anxiety about the 87-year-old’s frail physical
condition and what this might mean in the event that his fitness continues
to worsen.

The concerns around Mugabe’s health also come as Sadc and
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai have expressed some disquiet around the
fact that Mugabe is no longer in charge of the country as securocrats have
allegedly taken over.

Analysts who spoke to the Daily News yesterday
said while they wished Mugabe well, his health status was a “legitimate
national issue” for Zimbabweans and needed to be dealt with openly and
transparently.

“As we have seen across our border, in South Africa, when
Madiba (Nelson Mandela) fell ill, the whole of South Africa went into panic
mode and this only changed when the South African government became a little
bit more upfront with his condition.

“It is the same here in
Zimbabwe. People are genuinely concerned about the president’s state of
health and what this means for our troubled nation. Sadly, there has been so
much disinformation and clearly equally untruthful denials about how he is
feeling and this is creating unnecessary speculation and
anxiety.

“Someone in Zanu PF ought to realise that the nation now needs
assurance that the president is well and in charge of the country. Failure
to disclose his status is contributing to the whispering crisis and the
paralysis in some parts of government that we see,” said an analyst who
requested anonymity.

University of Zimbabwe Political Science
lecturer John Makumbe said people deserved to know if the president was ill
or not because a significant amount of money had been spent on the
president’s trips while civil servants were denied salary
increments.

Makumbe said releasing information on the state of the
president’s health was a matter “of good and transparent governance”, where
people had the right to know about the health of their president and his
wife.

“People need to know how much they are paying to have the president
and his wife treated. People also need to know why he has to go to the Far
East to get treatment, yet China is willing to send its doctors
here.

“People also deserve to know why he is not being treated here as
many Zimbabweans do,” he said.

Makumbe went on to say that the
“president’s illness is no longer a secret” because of the number of trips
he has made to the Far East.

“Many Zimbabweans think the smart thing to
do is for him to step down and nobody will chase him away. To assume that at
87, he still has what he had at 37 is unreal.

“It’s also advisable
for him (Mugabe) to take a rest while Tsvangirai is still in charge of the
MDC because he (Tsvangirai) will not take him to the Hague.

“Other
guys will parade him along First Street,” Makumbe said.

Human rights
researcher Pedzisai Ruhanya, who believes securocrats are now the defacto
leaders of the country, said that the physical appearance of the president
bore witness to the fact that he was ill.

“It is a general sickness that
is associated with old age. At 87 we cannot expect him to be
fit.

“We expect him to resign and rest and allow those who are healthy,
those who are fit to administer the affairs of the state after a democratic
free and fair election,” Ruhanya said.

Crisis Coalition spokesperson
Philip Pasirayi said people had the right to access information concerning
the health of Mugabe because it was an important criterion used in the
election of a president.

“The first criterion for the election of a
president is the state of his health. People should have the freedom to talk
about the president’s health on the basis that it is them who voted him into
office,” Pasirayi said.

He said Zimbabweans wanted a president who was
fit and energetic enough to drive the country forward.

Mugabe
elite again exposed in new list of land seizures

Robert Mugabe and his cronies have once again been exposed as the
top beneficiaries of the unlawful land grab campaign, in a new report
published last week.

The report by the Daily News shows that Robert
Mugabe and his wife Grace, as well as most ZANU PF cabinet members and top
military personnel, own multiple farms across the country. The list shows
that the land grabbers own a staggering five million hectares of Zimbabwe’s
best agricultural land, which is a third of all the land seized over the
past 11 years.

The list says the Mugabe’s own at least 13 farms, covering
more than 15 000 hectares, while Mugabe’s close relatives own more than 20
farms. The relatives include Mugabe’s sisters and nephews Leo Mugabe and
Patrick Zhuwao. Leo Mugabe owns three farms, Nangadza farm in Mhangura and
Journey’s end farm in Makonde, Mashonaland East province and another farm
believed to be in Banket. Zhuwao owns Marivale farm in
Mazowe.

Mugabe’s late sister Sabina’s farm is listed as Rem Ext of
Mlembwe in Makonde, while the First Lady’s late brother, Reward Marufu, is
listed as owning Leopards Vlei farm in Glendale and Kachere farm in
Mazowe.

At the same time, Mugabe's deputy Joice Mujuru, her husband
Solomon Mujuru and many of their relatives are said to own at least 22
farms.

Among the military top brass listed as beneficiaries are the
Commander of the defence forces Constantine Chiwenga and Air Marshall
Perence Shiri, who have two farms each. Police Commissioner General
Augustine Chihuri is listed as having one farm.

Almost all ZANU PF
politburo members, MPs and senators were also allocated farms, as well as
many traditional leaders and top judges.

The Daily News report supports
the information revealed by an investigation by the ZimOnline news service
last year, which also exposed that Mugabe and his cronies are the country’s
top land barons.

The ZimOnline report shows that, contrary to Mugabe’s
claims that the land grab was for the benefit of the nation, a “new
well-connected black elite of about 2,200 people now control close to half
of the most profitable land seized from about 4 100 commercial farmers.” The
report said that Mugabe and his top allies control nearly 40 percent of the
14 million hectares of land seized from white-owned farms since the land
grab began in 2000, which “if put together are the size of
Slovakia.”

John Worsley-Worswick from Justice for Agriculture (JAG) told
SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that these reports reaffirm the critical need
for an independent land audit. He said the reports are no surprise, but
emphasised that an audit is necessary “to hold these guys to
account.”

Worsley-Worswick said that the land grab has been nothing more
than “an insidious political programme that has allowed and legitimised
looting.” He added that the land “beneficiaries” are “the illegal recipients
of stolen land.

“This is theft, that is all it comes down to, and an
audit needs to hold these people accountable for the destruction of the
economy, the rights violations that have occurred on the farms during
jambanjas, everything,” Worsley-Worswick added.

Sibanda
threatens to unleash terror

HARARE - Controversial Zimbabwe National Liberation War
Veterans Association (ZINLWA) leader, Jabulani Sibanda on Monday left scores
of villagers struck in fear after he threatened to unleash former liberation
fighters from Matabeleland to the province to “deal” with all suspected MDC
supporters ahead of anticipated elections later this
year.

Addressing villagers who were force marched to a meeting
purportedly to teach them the liberation war history at Gozho Primary School
in Masvingo Central, Sibanda said his organisation would send war veterans
to unleash terror to rival party supporters to whip them back to the fading
Zanu PF party and vote for President Robert Mugabe.

Sibanda accused
the villagers of turning their backs against his leader, Mugabe, whom he
described as a legendary revolutionary.

He said Zanu PF’s fading rural
support led to Mugabe being defeated by arch rival MDC leader Morgan
Tsvangirai in the 2008 March harmonised elections.

The two are set to
square off against each other in another election whose date is yet to be
announced, but political analysts fear there will be a bloodbath following
ugly scenes of violence that have been witnessed in the past polls around
the country.

Sibanda said this time they would swap war veterans from
provinces so that they will deal with villagers without showing any mercy as
local liberation war fighters were failing to do so because they are known
in their communities.

“This time we want to ensure maximum discipline
and we will bring war veterans from other provinces like Matabeleland to
deal with errant people who are against us. These will show no mercy unlike
what our local comrades who know you are doing. This time we want no defeat
for our leader President Mugabe, so we will be tough,” he
said.

Sibanda also demanded that villagers vote for Zanu PF losing
candidate for the constituency, Edmund Mhere who was stunned by MDC’s
Jefferson Chitando.

Villagers from the age of 12 were forced to attend
Sibanda’s meeting while village heads and other traditional leaders were
ordered to write down the names of people who declined to turn up for the
meeting which forced business to close at Gozho business centre, Mapanzure,
Muchakata, and other surrounding business centres.

Zanu PF has
unleashed Sibanda to threaten villagers in the province after it was shocked
by losing majority parliamentary seats in the province to the MDC for the
first time since the country’s independence.

The party is vigorously
using the combative war veterans leader and the armed forces to instill fear
to villagers so that they vote for Zanu PF and its octogenarian leader,
Mugabe who turned 87 two months ago and is one of Africa’s longest serving
presidents.

The MDC says Zanu PF has deployed the army in different parts
of the country to intimidate the people.

Sibanda added that he would
be staying in the district for quite a long time and announced a provincial
war veterans meeting on 13 May at Nemamwa growth point.

“I will be
here for a long time to monitor and teach you the right way as many of you
are losing direction and I promise you my war veterans will be working with
you until you are whipped into line. I will be meeting all war vets in the
province next month at Nemamwa and will map our way of doing things to
ensure we get your support in the coming elections,” he said.

Sibanda has
been in the province since late last year and camped in three districts
which are Bikita, Zaka and Gutu in a mission to force people to support Zanu
PF.

Sex,
drugs, AG & Shamu at rapist’s shrine

CHITUNGWIZA - Chitungwiza has
never seen anything like it before. Sex, drugs and free booze were the order
of the day at self-styled prophet Godfrey Nzira’s week-long homecoming
party. Nzira, a convicted rapist, was celebrating his pardon by President
Robert Mugabe. Eye witnesses said trucks delivered beer and the faithful,
vapositori, helped themselves to the illegal mbanje, while the celebration
deteriorated into a sexual orgy at night.Nzira killed two cattle a day
to feed the hordes who attended, and declared that his war against Mugabe’s
perceived enemies had just begun. Among those present were senior Zanu (PF)
officials Webster Shamu, Minister of Information and Publicity, and Attorney
General Johannes Tomana.The party at the shrine nestled deep in the
indigenous trees adjacent to the Harare-Seke highway started on April 19 and
continued until Easter Monday. The entire location reverberated to music
from the likes of Alick Macheso and Tongai Moyo spiced up with the music of
Mbare Chimurenga.Selling beer is by no means a new phenomenon for the ailing
prophet, who is a former employee of the National Breweries, now Delta. In
his prime as a prophet before he joined Zanu (PF) in the 90s, Nzira ran a
shebeen in Seke Unit O.“We had a party of a lifetime and there was
nothing religious about the party. It was a homecoming party for Nzira but
for us it was a way of killing time with free beer and free food,” said a
reveller.Some even left the beer halls at Makoni Shopping centre, less that
500 metres away from the shrine, to enjoy the free-flowing beer - which was
accompanied by mbanje for those who wished to indulge themselves in the
illegal drug. But the scale of the beer drinking binge at a religious shrine
left many deeply shocked. They said it was a “sacrilege that demeaned the
shrine”.“It was just too much. The noise was deafening and sleep was
difficult,” said a person who lives next to the shrine.

Mugabe's
men seeking to curry favour with ANC leaders

HARARE - Zimbabwe's black
empowerment advocacy group the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) is dispatching
a delegation to South Africa on Friday to offer solidarity to embattled ANC
Youth League president Julius Malema.Human rights group AfriForum took
Malema to the Equality Court, contending that his singing the struggle song
"Kill the Boer"constitutes hate speech. Malema in turn accused the group of
wanting the “limelight”. The AAG - aligned to President Mugabe's Zanu PF -
said it was offering solidarity to Malema as an honorary member of the AAG.
He became an honorary member of the group last year after his visit to
Zimbabwe where he was hosterd by President Mugabe and was given
anextravagant reception by Zanu PF.The AAG is dispatching its president,
Supa Mandiwanzira, and the secretary general, Tafadzwa Musarara. “We are
leaving for South Africa on Friday," Musarara said. "The delegation will be
comprised of myself as secretary-general and thepresident, Supa
Mandiwanzira.”A solidarity letter says: “On behalf of the Affirmative Action
Group, the vanguard of broad-based black economic empowerment in Zimbabwe, I
would like to categorically state that, as our honorary member, the group is
fully behind you during and after your court trial proceedings. Our entire
membership is disturbed and extremely infuriated by the goings- on at the
Equality Court.”

Police
ban May Day marches

HARARE – Zimbabwe police have banned public marches to
commemorate Workers’ Day next Sunday, apparently scared anti-President
Robert Mugabe elements could hijack the processions to turn them into mass
protests against the veteran leader.

State security forces have,
since the toppling of Presidents Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak
in mass protests in Tunisia and Egypt respectively, clamped down hard on
civil society activity and dissent in general, banning several public
meetings and marches by groups perceived to be anti-Mugabe.

The
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) said the police have banned marches
in the second largest city of Bulawayo and in the cities of Kwekwe and
Mutare, while the fate of more May Day processions planned for other cities
and towns remained in limbo with no word from the police whether these will
be allowed to take place.

ZCTU deputy secretary general Japhet Moyo, who
insisted the police have no “good reason” to ban the marches said the union
has instructed its lawyers to challenge the bans at the High
Court.

The main The May Day rally that the police have not stopped –
apparently because it will not involve street marches -- is scheduled for
Gwanzura stadium in Harare.

The police and the state’s spy Central
Intelligence Organisation have maintained a watchful eye on civil society
groups since the North African protests, quickly stepping in to break up any
mass gathering with potential to turn into anti-Mugabe mass
action.

The police earlier this month forcibly broke up public marches
organised by the Women of Zimbabwe Arise pressure group to mark the
International Women’s Day.

The police, who remain staunch Mugabe
loyalists despite formation of a unity government two years ago, also
earlier this month poured out in full force into the streets of Harare to
block mass protests that had been called by a group of exiled Zimbabwean
activists.

While the police in February arrested 45 civil society
activists found watching videos of the Tunisian and Egyptian protests and
allegedly discussing how to stage similar mass action in
Zimbabwe.

The majority of the activists have since been cleared of any
crime by the courts while five have been remanded out of jail on charges of
treason although there are indications the charges could be altered to a
lesser offense.

Most Zimbabwean political analysts say any attempts
to stage Tunisia or Egypt-style mass action in Zimbabwe would flop because
of a fanatically pro-Mugabe army and police that are likely to use force to
crush such an uprising. -- ZimOnline

Zimbabwe
now a police state-Chibebe

HARARE - Wellington Chibebe (Pictured) the Secretary General
of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has described the police
move to ban May day marches in Kwekwe and Mutare as a clear indication that
the country has become a police state.Police in Mutare and Kwekwe
imposed a ban on processions to mark the celebrated May Day when workers
reflect on their labour and also air freely their demands. Chibebe said that
as a union his organisation does not need the permission of the police to
carry out processions ."We are a trade union and we are allowed to march
when we want to and we don't have to seek permission to do so instead we
just notify them," said Chibebe. Last month in Bulawayo the police arrested
members of ZCTU in Bulawayo as they marched in commemorating mother's
day.And Chibebe says that banning rallies and arrests of workers are only
but a demonstration that the country has relapsed into a police state. "It
is not police business to interfere with trade union work. Such actions show
that we are now a police state. We are going to take corrective measures so
that our workers are not prohibited from marching to mark this crucial event

National
Healing Minister Laments Jail Conditions

Bulawayo, April 27, 2011 - Zimbabwe’s Co-National Healing
Minister, Moses Mzila-Ndlovu who had a taste of Zimbabwe's prison conditions
recently on Wednesday revealed that police officers had denied him food,
water and a bath on Independence Day during his detention at Lupane Police
Station.

The minister had been arrested for statements he made during a
recent Gukurahundi memorial service and spent five days under police custody
in Lupane holding cells.

He told Radio VOP in an interview that the
conditions in the cells were inhuman and called on the Red Cross and other
international humanitarian organisations to urgently intervene to improve
prison conditions.

“On Independence Day, I spent the whole day in police
cells without any food or water to drink," he said.“I could smell some
good food somewhere near the cell and could tell that Independence Day
celebrations were in full swing. Little did I know that my party members had
visited me and had been barred from seeing me. I told my lawyer that I had
been denied food and water and had not been allowed to bath and he raised
that in court.”

He slept without blankets in an overcrowded
cell.

"In one cell there were 22 of us and we slept on the bare floor
without blankets. We would sleep in two rows, our feet joining at the centre
and that means there was no chance of turning around at night. It is so hard
to be in a police holding cell,” Mzila-Ndlovu added.

Mzila Ndlovu
said he was kept like a common criminal for five days where he was
threatened and bullied by police officers including senior
prisoners.

Mzila-Ndlovu, the MDC House of Assembly representative for
Bulilima West and co-Minister in the Organ for National Healing,
Reconciliation and Integration, was arrested on Friday 15 April for
addressing a memorial service for Gukurahundi victims and survivors at a
Roman Catholic Church Mass in Lupane on Wednesday 13 April.

The
minister appeared in court on 19 April where he was charged with making
utterances prejudicial to the State, and was given a US$500
bail.

Mzila Ndlovu was also ordered to surrender his travelling documents
and was ordered to stay at his given address in Bulawayo.

82 die on
roads in bloody Easter break

THREE more people who were travelling in an army truck that was
involved in a head on collision with a Toyota Landcruiser on Monday night
near the 31km peg along the Harare-Chirundu Highway have died.This
brings to seven, the number of people who perished in the accident.Of the
seven, four died on the spot, including a five-year-old boy while 11 others
were injured when the accident occurred at around 5pm. Two died after being
admitted at Parirenyatwa Hospital while one died at Inkomo Barracks Hospital
on Monday night.Two more deaths were recorded nationwide by end of day on
Monday, bringing to 82 the number of people killed in road traffic accidents
countrywide during the Easter Holiday, making it the blooodiest Easter break
in recent memory.Forty-four people perished on the roads during the
four-day holiday last year.According to police, two of the people who
were injured in the Nyabira accident and believed to have been travelling in
the Toyota Landcruiser were treated and discharged.The other nine
injured in the same accident were still admitted at Parirenyatwa
Hospital.Police yesterday said the army truck was travelling from Inkomo,
heading towards the city while the Toyota Landcruiser was moving in the
opposite direction.The names of the deceased will be released once their
relatives have been informed.National police spokesperson Superintendent
Andrew Phiri yesterday said another 536 people were injured in 497 accidents
recorded during the Easter Holidays.Harare and Mashonaland West
provinces recorded the highest numbers of deaths at 17 each, followed by
Mashonaland East with 14 while the province with the least deaths was
Matabeleland North with one.The causes of the accidents have been attributed
to misjudgment, vehicle defects, drunken driving and speeding.Supt Phiri
said they impounded 632 unroadworthy vehicles and issued 38 463
tickets."We would want to urge drivers to continue obeying all traffic
regulations and the force will remain firm on the ground to ensure that
sanity prevails," he said.Supt Phiri said 44 drivers were arrested for
drunken driving.

Hotly
contested race for posts at MDC congress

Over 6,000 MDC-T delegates are descending on Bulawayo for the
party’s third national congress that kicks off on Thursday. Kenyan Prime
Minister Raila Odinga is to officially open the congress on
Friday.

Many delegates have been telling SW Radio Africa that the main
agenda of the gathering, the election of the party’s top leadership, will be
one of the most unpredictable elections since the party was formed 12 years
ago.

Founding President Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to remain at the
helm of the party after he received nominations for re-election from all of
the party’s 12 administrative provinces. No other candidate has been
nominated for the presidency.

Political analyst Luke Zunga said there
was a risk the MDC would have lost its footing if it changed its leader at
this critical time.

‘I think by maintaining the same leader they are
consolidating their challenge to depose Robert Mugabe who could be in
opposition after the next election,’ Zunga said.

However party
insiders said what looked set to be a straight contest between deputy leader
Thokozani Khupe and party legislator Tabitha Khumalo has now been
transformed into a three-horse race. Another Bulawayo based party stalwart,
Norman Mabhena, has thrown his hat into the ring for the post of deputy
president.

‘We will certainly see one of the tightest races in the
history of our party, whose side effects no one dares to predict. Some
candidates have received more nominations than others but that will not
guarantee them automatic victory.

‘When nominations were done, only
the top leadership from provincial structures sat down to choose their
nominations. Each province has a leadership of about 25 people and their
thinking does not reflect that of its other members from districts and wards
who constitute about 80 percent of the electoral college from each
province,’ an MDC insider said.

Some positions that are to be hotly
contested are that of party Secretary General and Organizing Secretary.
Incumbent Secretary General Tendai Biti is facing a stiff challenge from
International Relations expert Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, the Public Service
Minister.

The current Organizing Secretary Elias Mudzuri is facing a
strong challenge from Nelson Chamisa and many analysts believe he would be
the first high profile casualty to lose his post at the
congress.

‘Mudzuri’s political fortunes have nose dived dramatically in
the last year and many people predict there is a good chance he might also
lose party primary elections for his Warren Park parliamentary seat,’
another MDC insider added.

The former Mayor of Harare is however
expected to make it back into the standing committee through the back door,
with strong hints that he has already been earmarked to be appointed the
party’s director of elections. This position allows the office bearer to sit
in the expanded Standing Committee, the top decision making body of the
party.

Speaker of Parliament and party national Chairman Lovemore Moyo
could face a strong challenge from Lucia Matibenga. She was the former
women’s chairperson, elbowed from that post by Theresa Makone.

The
co-Home Affairs Minister is to battle it out with Evelyn Masaiti and former
trade unionist and Kadoma central MP Editor Matamisa for control of the
Women’s Assembly.

Roy Bennett, as in the previous congress, is expected
to be overwhelmingly re-elected the Treasurer-General in absentia, after the
military junta hounded him out of the country. The popular former
Chimanimani commercial farmer has been deployed by the party as the new MDC
chief representative to the UK.

Energy Minister Elton Mangoma,
Bennett’s deputy, is to slag it out with Sekai Holland and Sam Sipepa Nkomo
for the deputy Treasure-General’s position.

Siwela
still in jail 3 weeks after receiving bail

Paul Siwela, one of the leaders of the Mthwakazi Liberation
Front (MLF), is still in police detention, 3 weeks after he was granted bail
by the High Court. The Supreme Court has delayed setting a date for the
hearing of his bail appeal case and no explanation has been given. Siwela’s
lawyer, Kucaca Phulu, told SW Radio Africa that they would take steps to try
and find out the reasons for the delay, but conceded there was not much that
could be done.

MLF leaders Siwela, John Gazi and Charles Thomas were
arrested on March 3rd for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government at
a meeting. They are also accused of distributing flyers calling for the
separation of Matabeleland from the rest of Zimbabwe. The activists face
treason charges, which carry the death penalty in Zimbabwe if found
guilty.

Phulu explained that all three activists were granted bail by the
High Court but Siwela was further detained after prosecutors, representing
the attorney general, invoked controversial legislation blocking his
release. The law says they have seven days to submit their bail appeal and
this was done 3 weeks ago.

Phulu said he has not received any
information from the Supreme Court, which is due to hear the bail appeal
case. “We are in the dark as to why it is taking too long,” said the lawyer.
But he would not be drawn to speculate whether the MLF policy of separating
Matabeleland from Zimbabwe had any bearing on the delay. “The case is still
before the courts,” he added.

Meanwhile Siwela remains in custody at
Khami Remand Prison. Phulu said the activist is obviously distressed at the
delay because he has not been found guilty.

Observers have criticized
the arrests as part of the ongoing crackdown on political activists by the
Mugabe regime, which is supposed to be partners with the MDC factions in a
coalition government. An illegal ban on public and private meetings is also
being enforced by the police, who have disrupted several MDC and civic
gatherings this year.

The MLF secretary for legal affairs, Sabelo
Ngwenya, told NewsDay newspaper last week that the group had decided to take
their illegal arrests and harassment by the Mugabe regime to the African
Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR). They intend to name Robert
Mugabe himself and the Zimbabwe government in the case. But unfortunately
the Commission only makes recommendations and cannot punish offenders.

HIFA 2011

Harare
International Festival of the Arts has rolled into life with various plays,
theatre, dance and music scheduled from Tuesday 26 of April to the 1st of May.

However the main
focus today was "Rituals" a play by Rooftops Promotion which has been allowed to
show by the police.

Riruals which was
authored by Stephen Chifunyise and directed by Daves Guzha is a musical journey
through community driven healing processes that are impeded by lack of political
will.

The play has since
been termed the excellent rendition of the very complex process of allowing
communities to heal the rifts in their midst while the macro conditions which
caused the rift in the first place have not gone away.

Most of the acts
in the play portrayed the events during and after the March 2008 harmonised
elections and June 2008 run off which left close to 200 people dead.

Can a legal
settlement to political violence super cede the spiritual settlement of
appeasing the avenging spirit in the case of murder?

Hoe possible is it
for an activist to confess knowledge of murder and compensate the dead person's
family with a daughtre without risking being arrested and condemned for abusing
the right of the girl child?

Such questions are
loaded in the play which promotes community driven, not just national driven
healing as it appeals for individuals as opposed to institutionla interventions
in peace building and reconciliation.

The group made
headlines folloowing their arrest in Manicaland on 5 January 2010 only to be
acquitted on 22 February 2011.

In Bulawayo police
tried to stop the play but were told not interrupt with the play after and
exparte application by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

In Mashonaland
Central the police arreted the team and refered them to law and order in Bundura
but were later released due to lack of evidence.

The play has
attracted so much attention even from politician hence the presence of various
opposition figures suct as Trudy Stevenson and the first HIFA outing today.

Roy Bennett on Question Time Part 2

Question Time
brings you part 2 of the interview between SW Radio Africa journalist Lance Guma
and MDC-T Treasurer General, Roy Bennett. The exiled Bennett responds to
listener’s questions on a variety of issues, including reports that the MDC is
broke and state media claims that lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa advised him to escape
arrest and leave the country. Bennett also reflects on his ‘harrowing’ time in
custody at Mutare Remand Prison.

Interview
broadcast 13 April 2011

Lance
Guma: Hallo Zimbabwe and thank you for joining me for part two of the
Question Time interview with MDC Treasurer General Roy Bennett. Last week we
covered several of your questions mainly centred on the call by Roy Bennett for
Old Mutual to withdraw controversial investments in Mbada Diamonds and
Zimpapers.

We continue this
week with more of your questions and obviously I have to start by thanking Roy
for joining us once again.

Roy
Bennett: Pleasure Lance, thank
you.

Guma: Now
Roy, a ZANU PF sponsored publication last week claimed you were advised by your
lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa to escape arrest in Zimbabwe when it became clear you
would be charged with contempt of court and perjury. Let’s start off with that –
would you like to respond to their claims?

Bennett:
Well again Lance, we understand the people we’re dealing with; we understand the
tremendous good Beatrice has done and we understand her threat to the regime
through her representation to people through Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
who are facing human rights abuses and unjust and unfair attacks by the ZANU PF
government, so again these people will put a spin on anything.

There’s no ways
Beatrice advised me that I shouldn’t come back to Zimbabwe or that I must escape
Zimbabwe because I am facing arrest. She confirmed with me that there were
warrants out for my arrest for contempt of court and for perjury and even for
her to get that, she had a run around from the CID Law and Order who for a long
time refused to tell her.

It is then up to
me to make the decision whether I come back or not and whether I want to go to
prison and face these charges, looking at the number of charges that have been
put against me in the past and also looking at the fact that we’re going into
elections and where would I be most useful.

So it’s totally,
totally false and very misleading to blame Beatrice or try and connect her, but
knowing these people, they want to have a go at her so they’ll use anything.

Guma:
What’s the status of those issues? Do they have an arrest warrant out for you?
How far have they gone in this campaign?

Bennett: I
understand there are arrest warrants out for me. I understand that people were
waiting to arrest me on my re-entry into Zimbabwe. I’m sure nothing’s changed,
I’m sure these people are still as relentless as ever and that the only thing
they understand is repression and fix their munhu (fix their person).

Guma:
Interesting Beatrice received an award recently and she was talking about
attempts by several people within ZANU PF to bribe her to stop her human rights
work. She was saying they were offering her farms and seats on several boards of
parastatals. Were you surprised when you read that?

Bennett:
Not at all, these people will go to any lengths Lance, they will go to any
lengths. The current 51% indigenisation – it’s the lengths they are going to, to
try and patronise members of the security, members of any of the securocrats to
try and keep them loyal to ZANU PF by taking something away from someone and
giving it to somebody else and hold them beholden to the ZANU PF party through
patronage.

So it’s not only
that they’ve offered her farms – I’m very sure that Beatrice would have received
very severe phone calls and threats as well as offers of monetary value.

Guma:
Simon in Harare says the state media is going to town about claims that the MDC
is broke and has for over a month now failed to publish its weekly newsletter
owing to financial constraints. As Treasurer General, what’s the position of the
finances?

Bennett:
Lance it’s a difficult one. Simon himself lives in Zimbabwe, most political
parties survive on the funding from their members but how do you expect anybody
in Zimbabwe under the current economic conditions to fund anything? It is very,
very difficult for us to raise funds.

We don’t have the
corruption, we don’t have the patronage that ZANU PF has into the diamond mines,
into the platinum mines, into the gold, into forcibly getting money out of
businesses on the threat of 51% indigenisation.

This is how these
people keep going, that is how they raise their funds and have the funds to
carry out their human rights abuses they have on the people of Zimbabwe. We
don’t have that. We don’t extort money out of anybody. We don’t steal money from
anybody.

We don’t use
Zimbabwe’s natural resources to enrich ourselves to then pay people to carry out
acts of violence. We battle, we battle for resources, it’s a continual battle
and its part of the reason that I am sitting here in London trying to raise
those resources to keep the party machinery moving and to keep things going.

Guma: Now
as you are saying, you are leading this major fund raising effort from here in
the UK, leading what has been called a Global Advocacy Programme. Now it has
been mentioned you are even planning a Free Zimbabwe concert – talk us through
this and how your supporters and well-wishers can help.

Bennett:
Well again Lance, it’s a party programme. I’m merely a representative to try and
help on the organisational part. Obviously the first thing comes is the funds
because when you’re planning an event of this magnitude, it requires event
management companies, it has to be done properly and in order to have that you
have to have the funds but on the Global Advocacy, any of our friends and
listeners who have connections to anybody in the celebrity or respected
environment who could connect us to those people, for them to support our cause
towards a violence-free and fair election.

Anybody that could
help us with connections to groups that would be prepared to get on a platform
and play for the recognition that we need a violence-free and fair election in
Zimbabwe. Anybody that can help in that aspect through either contact, through
material, through resources – please, please contact us through the
freezimbabwe.com web site.

Guma: Now
I know Roy the Political Finances Act bars foreign funding of political parties,
but if your supporters in the Diaspora wish to help the party, is that
considered foreign funding?

Bennett:
Of course it is. ZANU PF will use any excuse, that’s why I’m here and that’s why
I’m not going back to Zimbabwe until we have a free Zimbabwe where all the
repression’s gone and I will take the stick and I will take the blame and
there’s nothing they can do to me with those regards Lance.

Guma: From
Mutare comes an email from a listener who says he was among a group of people
who in 2009 supported calls for your release outside the police station in the
city. When you eventually left Mutare Remand Prison you described your
incarceration as a harrowing experience. Talk us through what you went through
Roy.

Bennett:
Lance it was most horrific. I don’t even like to think about it. When I left
prison I did everything in my power to have an expose, for that to be
highlighted and to be seen – and it was and as a result of that you had the
International Red Cross Doctors Without Borders get involved in the prisons and
help but it’s still, you cannot help a system that through its ministry and the
Minister of Injustice, Patrick Chinamasa, who one day has to face what he has
put the prisoners in this country through – how can you arrest and incarcerate
people under such conditions?

If you haven’t got
the means to protect people that are under government custody it’s terrible. You
know the conditions are overcrowded, the food is non-existent, a lot of the food
because the conditions for the prison wardens and the prison officers are so bad
that a lot of that food is sold outside of the prison and doesn’t reach the
prisoners.

You know it is
absolutely horrific those conditions and I’m sure that they remain the same, I’m
sure the overcrowding is still there and what is needed is good governance and
it’s needed a fiscus that can support the ministries and put prisons there that
are prisons where people go in there, they have dignity and they have a chance
to reflect and reform. The way prisons are there now you turn people into
animals in those conditions.

Guma: You
also talked about five people having died while you were there and their bodies
being collected after four, five days.

Bennett:
Absolutely, well you see at that stage it was the time of the hyper-inflation,
the government was totally defunct. ZANU PF forget that they had completely
destroyed the country so prisoners were getting a basis of one meal a day based
on a hand sized plate of a bit of sadza and water really and things like HIV
develop into full blown Aids and many of the people were suffering with full
blown Aids and it was actually six that died in the 40 days that I was there.

The government
didn’t even have the fuel to send vehicles to come and fetch the bodies from the
prison to take it to the mortuary. They didn’t have fuel – I sat there, in that
time, and in two weeks nobody went to court. They didn’t even have a vehicle to
take the people who were on remand, some of them on charges they should have
been released, they couldn’t even take the people to court because they didn’t
have a vehicle and that went on for the whole of 2008 and it must have been
mirrored all round the country.

So the pain and
suffering that that ministry caused to people that should have been released
because you can’t look after somebody in prison – why kill them there? Why put
them under conditions where they starve to death and there’s not the medical
support or the support for those people.

So it’s very close
to my heart Lance and it’s very, very painful to remember it and to go through
it and it’s certainly something that when we achieve a free Zimbabwe under an
MDC government that I will certainly put the biggest of my efforts to help
assist and make conditions in those prisons become humanitarian and at least
somebody is treated like a person and not like an animal.

Guma: Do
you think part of the problem is a general, is it a lack of political will or
just a general assumption that oh well these are prisoners, they are bad people,
who gives a damn about their welfare?

Bennett:
Exactly, that’s exactly what it is. It’s not just about that, it’s the ZANU PF
culture and mentality – they do not give a damn about the people of Zimbabwe.
The whole legacy that ZANU PF was supposed to stand for, and it was very
interesting to see Edgar Tekere’s comments recently about all that they had
fought for in the liberation struggle has been sacrificed for nothing because
there’s no ways that they would fight for what is there in Zimbabwe today and it
is that whole culture of don’t care about people, the chefs is all that matters,
the chefs’ welfare, money, ten cars, big houses, kids overseas at the most
lavish schools and to pay for it at the will and expense of the people.

Guma: Now
when you left remand prison in 2009 you went straight to Prime Minister
Tsvangirai’s rural home to pay your respects following the death of his wife
Susan. Elizabeth texting from Masvingo is interested to get your views on that
car crash that killed Mai Tsvangirai and whether you think it was a genuine
accident.

Bennett: I
personally am not in government and I fully understand President Tsvangirai’s
hurt and sorrow but I honestly believe those people planned that and executed
that, myself personally that’s what I believe.

I don’t believe it
was an accident, it was just too opportune for me to have been an accident. The
people involved, the fact that the CIO were involved in escorting our president
– I think those people – that’s what they do, that’s what they understand,
that’s what they’re good at, that’s what they live by, is intimidation,
violence, killing, fear – all the bad things.

Guma: Was
there a lot of pressure on your party to handle this matter delicately given we
were just going towards a transitional period where people were trying to get
the two parties together in a coalition government?

Bennett:
Absolutely Lance. If you look at what President Tsvangirai has sacrificed on
personal capital, political capital, his own feelings, it’s absolutely, it’s
none other than total commitment to the country and the people of Zimbabwe and
yes, there is a lot of that, it’s to try and make something work and so
therefore you have to make sacrifices and President Tsvangirai is that kind of
man.

He’s made those
sacrifices, he’s made those sacrifices personally and for politically for the
people of Zimbabwe, but they understand Lance. Everybody knows, people are not
stupid, the average man in the street – don’t ever take him for granted – he
knows exactly what the situation is. And all ZANU PF are and continually do is
score their own goals.

Guma: And
our final question for you Roy, just out of interest – you were someone the
Chimanimani community took to heart, very loved in the constituency, you have
since of course been displaced by the regime from that particular part of the
country – are you still in touch with people back there?

Bennett:
Most definitely Lance on a daily basis just about. I speak to people there, you
know the current, the new elections, the new chairman, I speak to the youth
chairman, I speak to the organising secretary on a regular basis.

Not two or three
days go by that I don’t chat to them and understand what’s going on in the area
and they’re the ones that call me, they give me comfort, they reassure me that
I’ll be home soon and you know Lance (speaks in shona).

Loose
translation: I used to represent
Zanu PF and then they deserted the people. Back then there was no MDC. We formed
MDC structures by looking for people, giving them love and building up a
commitment with them that I will always be there for them.

I told the people
of Chimanimani that the road we would travel would be hard. Zanu PF is known for
its repression. I will continue to work with the people of Chimanimani and bring
truth, peace and prosperity in its development.

Guma: And
is this where the name Pachedu comes from?

Bennett: I
don’t know, I’m not sure Lance, possibly.

Guma: Well
Zimbabwe that’s MDC Treasurer General Roy Bennett joining us for the part two
final segment of the Question Time programme where he was joining us and taking
your questions. Roy thank you so much for being our guest.

Bennett:
Pleasure Lance, thank you very much and thanks to the people of Zimbabwe, be
strong, we’ll get there soon.

The
fifth column in ZANU (PF)

Thirty-one years since the advent of Independence in Zimbabwe, and
only two years after the inauguration of the inclusive government, it is
apparent that all is not well in the power structures of this nation.
(Pictured: John Makumbe)The foot-dragging that is the hallmark of
President Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) in relation to the implementation of the
provisions of the global political agreement (GPA) is clearly a function of
the diversity of opinions in that beleaguered party regarding the merits and
demerits of the government of national unity (GNU).It is my considered
view that there is a Fifth Column within Zanu (PF) that is very unhappy
about the continued existence of the GNU. This Fifth Column largely
comprises hardliners or hawks who view the inclusion of the two MDC
formations in government as an intrusion and a negation of the power and
authority of Zanu (PF).Included in this Fifth Column are the
securocrats, who have effectively taken over the running of Zanu (PF) from
the civilians. Mugabe is merely the front used by this Fifth Column to give
a semblance of civility to an essentially military take over and control of
all national affairs.The detested Joint Operations Command (JOC), comprising
mainly but not exclusively the chiefs of staff, is the core of the Fifth
Column. The Fifth Column would like to see the GNU collapse as soon as
possible and fresh elections held regardless of whether a new constitution
will have been adopted or not. In fact the Fifth Column would prefer to have
elections under the current constitution which is significantly favourable
to Zanu (PF).Elements of the Fifth Column are notorious for, inter alia,
gross violations of human rights, abuse of power, ridiculous demands for
support for Mugabe and Zanu (PF) from all Zimbabweans, and high levels of
corruption. Most of the vicious attacks levelled against the SADC Troika
following its Livingstone mini summit were authored and directed by members
of the Fifth Column. Mugabe had to undertake serious damage control soon
after these attacks were published, but to date there is clear evidence that
the hawks within Zanu (PF) are increasingly becoming impatient with the
87-year old man and his diplomatic etiquette.If the Fifth Column could
have its way the GNU would be dissolved and fresh elections called before
you can say, “Jack.” Mugabe is well aware that the threats from the SADC and
Jacob Zuma need to be taken seriously. The Fifth Column is crudely
undiplomatic in its approach. It regrets that Mugabe is handling the MDC
formations with kid gloves.Indeed, most of the current arrests and
harassment of MDC members and supporters are the work of this group. The
purpose of these evil acts is to get the MDC formations so frustrated that
they will throw in the towel and walk out of the GNU. Fortunately, the
leaderships of the MDC formations are aware of these sick machinations and
are determined to hold on to the democratic space that they have managed to
emancipate from the Mugabe dictatorship.The question that demands
answers is: how do we deal with this Fifth Column in the next few months? My
view is that the Fifth Column is doing a lot to discredit itself as well as
to alienate itself from Mugabe, the SADC and the doves within Zanu
(PF).The Fifth Column contains the seeds of its own destruction. It must be
accorded enough rope to hang itself as it almost did following the latest
SADC Troika meeting. It is also likely to botch up matters big time during
or soon after the forthcoming SADC extraordinary summit in Windhoek next
month.

No safe haven for Swazi King

ZimVigil supporters had to search
Mayfair on Tuesday when Swazi despot Mswati and his entourage of 50 failed to
turn up at London’s deluxe Dorchester Hotel to stay for the Royal Wedding.

About 80 demonstrators had gathered
outside the hotel to support the Swaziland Vigil which had arranged a picket of
protest against Mswati’s oppressive rule – only to find that the Swazi
freeloaders had gone to the nearby Four Seasons Hotel.

Mswati had obviously got the message
as members of his entourage at the Four Seasons were overheard talking about our
demonstration which had attracted much media attention with protesters carrying
posters such as ‘Swazi King parties while country starves’ and ‘Royal Wedding
guests are human rights abusers’.

The demonstration obviously
embarrassed the Dorchester who made desperate efforts to contact the police to
have us moved on to the Four Seasons.

The Swaziland Vigil now plans to
demonstrate outside the Four Seasons at 6.30 pm on Saturday when Mswati is
holding a reception.

Swaziland Vigil co-ordinator Thobile
Gwebu said ‘Mswati must understand that things have changed. He is now an
endangered species – only safe in his Zoo’.

The Vigil, outside
the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00
to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The
Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk.

Zimbabwe: The Road to Reform or Another Dead End?

INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP - NEW
REPORT

Zimbabwe: The Road to Reform or
Another Dead End?

Harare/Johannesburg/Nairobi/Brussels, 27 April 2011: The situation in
Zimbabwe is deteriorating again under a new wave of political violence organised
by Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party, and the country faces another illegitimate
election and crisis unless credible, enforceable reforms can first be
implemented.

Zimbabwe:
The Road to Reform or Another Dead End?, the latest report from the
International Crisis Group, examines the limitations of the much delayed reform
process that threatens to derail the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA).
President Mugabe’s call for early elections has increased fears of return to the
unbridled violence of that year. Attacks have already intensified against those
deemed to be enemies of his long-time ruling party, and Prime Minister
Tsvangirai, the leader of the main wing of the Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC-T), has appealed for help from the region.

A 31 March troika summit of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)
responded sharply to the lack of progress in GPA implementation, as well as
rising levels of violence and intimidation, with a communiqué that laid out
steps that must now be taken to address the situation. This is a significant
development that illustrates an unprecedented public hardening of attitudes and
increasing frustration within the regional organisation toward the GPA
signatories, in particular ZANU-PF.

“The next few months will determine whether SADC can follow up its words by
securing action that advances the reform agenda and prospects for a sustainable
transition”, says Piers Pigou, Crisis Group’s Southern Africa Project Director.
“That in turn will indicate whether the conditions necessary for credible
elections exist. It will be important for the West, including the UK, the
European Union and the U.S., to give SADC, its South African-led facilitation
team and the African Union strong support”.

The GPA was signed in September 2008 by the three parties - ZANU-PF, and the
two wings of the former opposition, MDC-T and MDC-M - after Mugabe was
“re-elected” in an uncontested run-off following violence that caused Tsvangirai
(who led the first round) to withdraw. It was meant to provide a legitimate
foundation for response to the multiple political and economic crises and did
lead to an inclusive three-party government. But ZANU-PF, in partnership with
the unreformed security sector leadership, continues to thwart any reforms that
could facilitate a democratic transfer of power. The state media remains
grotesquely unbalanced, and the criminal justice system is still used against
ZANU-PF opponents.

The inclusive government should cooperate fully with SADC recommendations and
enable a process that allows citizens to campaign for or against the draft
constitution under preparation without fear. It must support the Constitution
Parliamentary Affairs (Select) Committee’s (COPAC) constitutional reform process
and other legislative measures to advance rule of law and overcome the legacy of
political violence and impunity.

The full memberships of SADC and the African Union (AU), as GPA Guarantors,
need to endorse the 31 March communiqué to give its recommendations even greater
weight. They should also initiate a comprehensive assessment of violence and
related matters to determine whether conditions are conducive for free and fair
elections, as set out in the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic
Elections.

“It remains to be seen whether further tangible reforms will be secured
through either the COPAC process or measures agreed to in the GPA”, says Comfort
Ero, Crisis Group’s Africa Program Director. “These reforms must be more than
marginal, otherwise there will be a need to ask hard questions about what
conditions will be in place when elections are held”.

Zimbabwe:
The Road to Reform or Another Dead End?

Africa
Report N°17327 Apr 2011

EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Intensified
violence against those deemed to be ZANU-PF enemies has exposed the limitations
of Zimbabwe’s much delayed reform process and threatens to derail the Global
Political Agreement (GPA). President Mugabe’s call for early elections has
increased fears of a return to 2008’s violence. Prime Minister Tsvangirai has
appealed for help from the region. Eventual elections are inevitable, but
without credible, enforceable reforms, Zimbabwe faces another illegitimate vote
and prospects of entrenched polarisation and crisis. GPA guarantors – the
African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its
South African-led facilitation team – have an uphill battle to secure
implementation. ZANU-PF is increasingly confident it can intimidate opponents
and frustrate reform, and there is waning faith, internally and externally, in
MDC-T capacities. Mugabe’s health and ZANU-PF succession turmoil are further
complications. Without stronger international pressure on ZANU-PF, the tenuous
current coalition may collapse, triggering further violence and grave
consequences for southern Africa.

The
GPA, signed by the three political parties (ZANU-PF, MDC-T and MDC-M) in
September 2008, was intended to provide a foundation for response to the
multiple political and economic crises, but it has become a battleground for
control of the country’s future. As in 2008, ZANU-PF’s ability, in partnership
with the unreformed security sector leadership (the “securocrats”), to thwart a
democratic transfer of power remains intact. The state media is still
grotesquely unbalanced, and the criminal justice system continues to be used as
a weapon against ZANU-PF opponents, in particular the MDC-T.

The
centrepiece of GPA reforms is a parliament-led constitution-making process under
the direction of the Constitution Parliamentary Affairs (Select) Committee
(COPAC). That body launched an outreach program in the latter half of 2010, but
several civil society organisations and the MDC-T criticise it for falling far
short of being inclusive and open and accuse ZANU-PF of having captured and
manipulated the process. Many Zimbabweans, however, still consider the
constitution-writing exercise important for moving the country forward. While
drafting has begun, leading toward an all-stakeholders conference, parliamentary
approval and a referendum, every step presents opportunity for opposition, delay
and obfuscation.

Both
MDC parties argue that COPAC must finish its work before elections are held, but
ZANU-PF says elections can proceed with or without a new constitution and links
its cooperation on democratic reforms to removal of targeted international
sanctions, over which the parties have no control. In late February 2011, the
facilitation team’s visit to Harare resulted in a commitment from the three
party leaders to implement their August 2010 agreement on outstanding GPA
issues. This did not include a commitment to the sequence of elections after a
constitutional referendum. Nevertheless, having failed to produce an agreed plan
themselves, the party leaders deferred to the facilitators to produce a roadmap
for pre-election action.

The
GPA guarantors and the facilitation team have until very recently shied from
addressing poor progress directly. On 31 March 2011, however, the SADC troika
(Namibia, Mozambique and Zambia) took note of the lack of progress in GPA
implementation and related matters and the rise in levels of violence and
intimidation and laid out steps that must now be taken to address the situation.
This is a significant development that illustrates a public hardening of
attitudes and increasing frustration within the regional organisation toward the
GPA signatories, in particular ZANU-PF. The MDC-T welcomed the communiqué, which
is a direct response to the multiple grievances it as well as civil society
groups have expressed. ZANU-PF and Mugabe have countered that they will not
tolerate external interference, even from neighbours. The next few months will
determine whether SADC can follow its words by producing action that advances
the reform agenda and prospects for a sustainable transition. That in turn will
indicate whether the conditions necessary for credible elections exist.

The
worsening climate of fear and violence means security sector reform (SSR) should
be the most immediate challenge. In addition, important institutions need to be
strengthened, including parliamentary committees and the Human Rights, Media and
Electoral Commissions. These measures should be supplemented by continued
support for civil society to engage with those bodies as set out in the GPA.
Until the draft constitution is produced, however, it is unlikely that even the
limited SSR contained in the GPA will be meaningfully addressed.

The
facilitation team recognises that it needs a constant presence in Zimbabwe. Its
roadmap should propose an audit of what has and has not been done, what the
parties can and cannot achieve. If further power-sharing is inevitable, a
pragmatic assessment of the current arrangement’s failure is needed. The
guarantors and facilitation team have relied on the Joint Monitoring and
Implementation Committee (JOMIC), set up by the GPA – four members from each of
the three signatory parties – for evaluations, but it has not fulfilled its
mandate, due to inadequate monitoring capacity, no enforcement leverage and
problems navigating the distorted balance of power within government. In
recognition of its poor performance, the SADC troika recommended strengthening
the facilitation team’s monitoring and reporting capacity, so it could work
closer with the JOMIC. The annual progress review the Periodic Review Mechanism
should provide in consultation with the guarantors has not been done, though the
party leaders recently agreed to correct this. The guarantors must ensure a
comprehensive review.

The
roadmap should call upon the political leadership to collectively establish
clear priorities, with a particular focus on how to secure conditions for
credible elections. As endorsed by the recent troika summit, the SADC
“Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections” provides the accepted
frame of reference. The referendum envisaged for the draft constitution would be
an important opportunity to test electoral conditions.

The
GPA still offers a coherent framework for putting in place conditions for
credible elections. However, progress remains stymied because ZANU-PF has not
demonstrated a credible commitment to democratic reforms, and the MDC-T is not
strong enough to force them through. The GPA guarantors and South Africa have
now indicated they are prepared to take a much more hands-on approach, although
it is unclear how this will manifest itself. It is important that they
continually engage Zimbabwe’s political leaders to take their own commitments
seriously and set clear benchmarks and timelines for achieving the concrete
steps set out in the SADC communiqué. Accelerating the implementation of key
reforms, many of which have already been approved, is all the more necessary
because a credible election process cannot take place until the appropriate
conditions are in place.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To
the Inclusive Government formed pursuant to the GPA:

1.
Cooperate fully with the recommendations in the communiqué of the 31 March 2011
SADC summit of the Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

2.
Make finalisation of the COPAC constitution exercise a priority, including by
identifying and utilising available resources and support from the GPA
guarantors and the wider international community, so as to enable a process that
allows Zimbabweans to campaign for or against the draft constitution without
fear or persecution.

To
the Constitution Parliamentary Affairs (Select) Committee (COPAC):

3.
Pursue constitutional reform and other legislative measures that advance rule of
law and overcome the legacy of political violence and impunity, including by
promoting professional and accountable policing, removing the military’s
involvement in internal policing and promoting effective parliamentary oversight
of all security and intelligence structures.

To
the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) as
GPA Guarantors:

4.
Endorse at head of state level in both organisations the 31 March 2011 SADC
troika communiqué calling for constitutional reform before elections and a
roadmap to enable credible elections to take place.

5.
Initiate, including by deploying an AU exploratory mission, a comprehensive
assessment of violence and related matters in Zimbabwe to determine whether
conditions are conducive for free and fair elections, as envisaged under the
African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and the SADC “Principles
and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections”.

6.
Make recommendations to assist in the achievement of such conditions, including
with respect to the need to ensure that the country’s security forces are not
undermined by renegade elements.

7.
Support the COPAC process and broader GPA reform initiatives through technical
and financial assistance, as well as the deployment of personnel from the region
where feasible; and review, in coordination with the political parties, the
existing legislative agenda to identify GPA reform priorities that have not been
addressed, with a focus on enabling conditions for credible
elections.

8.
Ensure that the facilitation team’s roadmap recommends a revision of the GPA’s
internal monitoring and review mechanisms, in particular
that:

a)
JOMIC should have a more active role to deal with cases of political violence,
including oversight of investigations by national police and producing regular
public reports to the GPA signatories, who in turn should be obliged to respond
publicly in writing; and

b)
JOMIC reports should provide a basis for the Periodic Review Mechanism’s
reporting and recommendations as set out in Article 23 of the
GPA.

9.
Affirm that participation of civil society organisations is necessary to provide
full legitimacy to the COPAC and other GPA reform processes and to this end
establish a channel for direct access to the SADC facilitator for civil society
actors to raise concerns about implementation of the GPA.

To
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP):

10.
Ensure full accountability and transparency in the use of its funds in support
of constitution-making so as to create greater confidence in the
process.

To
the Government of South Africa:

11.
Seek to use the South Africa-Zimbabwe Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and
Security to undertake an assessment of defence and security conditions in
Zimbabwe and their related implications for South Africa.

To
the wider International Community, including the UN and European Union:

12.
Assist, including by active diplomatic engagement, the efforts of the GPA
guarantors to ensure and facilitate processes and institutions supporting the
development of democratic and accountable governance.

13.
Support and strengthen civil society’s efforts to provide coherent, systematic
and accurate reports and analysis of violence, including by improving
verification methods, identifying priority concerns, developing clear and
effective channels of communication and, ultimately, by bringing findings to the
attention of local, regional and international policymakers, institutions and
media.

The International Crisis Group (Crisis Group) is an
independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation covering some 60
crisis-affected countries and territories across four continents, working
through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve
deadly conflict.